Got Shiney?

[Lurch]

Why, yes I have!

50l thermobox for conversion to Mash Tun and a 70l stock pot for conversion to either HLT or boiler.

 

[aeddon]

lubbly jubbly

 

[Sean_Mc]

Nice and shiny :thumb:

 

[corby_brewer]

Nice mate mate. If i was you i would send Forum member MUDDYDISC a PM he makes false bottoms for TB's.

 

[Lurch]

I'm a step ahead of you there squire!

 

[Lurch]

Burner is here and I've fitted a tap to the boiler. Got some stainless fittings en route for the mash tun.
Looking forward to getting a brew going in this gear!

 

[Vossy1]

:party:

 

[EskiBrew]

:party:

 

[unclepumble]

Looking good :party:

UP

 

[Lurch]

The latest state of build is that my 1st 70l stock pot is now an HLT with two 3kW elements with PID controls.
PID is a Virtual Village jobby with 2 x SSRs (one per). Sensor is a PT100b three wire jobby. I've got a dedicated supply from the fusebox which used to feed an electric shower. All tuned and ready for action.
Stainless steel ball valve tap fitted with a stainless 1/2" bsp nipple from Bru4u
The other 70l is now a gas fired boiler. Ball valve tap as above and a 9kW propane burner. Waiting for a hop filter from MD.
Thermobox has a couple of holes in it now, one has a ball valve tap and the other will be widened to 16mm for a flange from Bru4u to be screwed in for bottom drain. Stainless tubing and fittings used. This one is waiting a false bottom from MD.
I've also got another pump on order and parts for another PID which will drive a HERMS unit, but I'm unsure at the moment how I will add the herms to the tb. Ideally I want to have the unit sealed when mashing but not sure how to fit the recirc. Also I'm not sure about the sensor. Logic says that the sensor should be in the mash as this is where the temperature we are controlling is,but I'm concerned that the temperatures in the exchanger would go too high before the mash tun stabilizes.

 

[Aleman]

Sensor in the exit of the HERMS unit not in the mash tun . . . as close to the heat source as possible. . . .There will be a difference between mash temp and the HERMS Temp but you can use the PID offset function to account for this

 

[highwayman]

It's coming along nicely Lurch.. :clap: I am looking forward to seeing the end product.....

 

[BarnsleyBrewer]

I've got a dedicated supply from the fusebox which used to feed an electric shower.

Wait until the missus finds out it's cold showers from now on....lol

What a pair of beauties, Sooooooo sexy.. :clap:

Is it classed as normal behaviour for a brewer to get excited about shinny containers?? :wha:

BB

 

[jamesb]

I've got a dedicated supply from the fusebox which used to feed an electric shower.

Wait until the missus finds out it's cold showers from now on....lol

I have the same problem in my house. I decided I might want the oven while I'm brewing, so the shower had to go. The missus hasn't found the changeover switch yet :twisted:

Is it classed as normal behaviour for a brewer to get excited about shinny containers?? :wha:

It's mandatory.

 

[Lurch]

Sensor in the exit of the HERMS unit not in the mash tun . . . as close to the heat source as possible. . . .There will be a difference between mash temp and the HERMS Temp but you can use the PID offset function to account for this

See I know this is how it's done, but it doesn't seem to make sense. An offset would no doubt work but would probably vary according to ambient. As I say, the temperature we are controlling is in the mash not the heat exchanger - the heat exchanger is merely the heat source.

 

[Vossy1]

An offset would no doubt work but would probably vary according to ambient.

If your system is well insulated this isn't a concern. If not it can be. I had been told this would not be the case as the PID would compensate however I found my mash losing temp when brewing in winter. That was my fault as I used to mash with the tun lid off

As I say, the temperature we are controlling is in the mash not the heat exchanger - the heat exchanger is merely the heat source.

Actually you invariably do both as the system will be in balance if properley set up.
If you put a PT100 in the actual mash tun you will only be controlling the mash temperature at that location, and there could be a difference of several degrees between that location and another location.
Putting the PT100 in the runnings return you are ensuring the runnings are at a constant temperature and that will inevitably mean the mash is also at that temperature in its entirity.
Granted you could argue that it also only means the runnings are at that temp at that spot but from personal experience I know that's not the case.

I say try both methods. You dont have to mount the PT100 in a fixed location in the tun. Simply use it as a 'dip in' thermometer. I do this to double check the PT100's working properly in the HERMS exit, and also to check for cold spots from lazy doughing in

Above all have fun :grin:

 

[Lurch]

A couple of pics!
How it's looking now:

From the left: HLT, Mash Tun, Boiler

HLT PID and SSR enclosure

Today's new addition is the cam lock connectors from Kiowa

 

[Vossy1]

Looking VERY shiny
Love the cam lock fittings :mrgreen:

 

[Lurch]

Yeah, they aren't cheap but the do add a certain something.
I didn't want to faff about pulling pipes on and off so this seemed like a good solution.
Another big head scratcher is the deployment of the recirc/sparge ideally I want it closed but that leaves the problem of how to monitor the rates and levels.
At the moment I'm just gonna have to mash open I suppose.

 

[Vossy1]

Another big head scratcher is the deployment of the recirc/sparge ideally I want it closed but that leaves the problem of how to monitor the rates and levels.

Not a problem for the recirc, but it could be for the sparge. Personally, I 'open ish' sparge now and balance the inlet of the liquor to the mash tun with a ball valve on the HLT liquor pump outlet, whilst pumping the runnings from the mash tun to the copper at 2.75ltr/min.
I intended to fit a 'fixed flow rate' ball valve into the sparge supply to the mash tun but haven't got around to it yet
I've made a lid for my thermo box to allow me to close mash, it's simply 9mm ply, split hinged, with a foil backed camping mat as insulation

At the moment I'm just gonna have to mash open I suppose.

Not a problem under 'normal' English temps...ie, not sub or close to zero